Quick note on technique and why you are rowing:

Hello rowers and future rowers,

When you are rowing make sure that you hinge at the hip joint. I can only emphasis this over and over again. This helps you stretch your hamstrings, gluts, and lower back (the right way). While you stretch those muscles you also strengthen them. The proper technique with a supported lower back will take stress of your hip flexors and thus reduce the amount of lower back tension. There is NO REASON not to be able to walk away straight from a rowing workout. So hinge at the hip joint and check your posture.

Make sure that you row well with a machine that slides back and forth. The only option we have currently is the Concept2 on slides, but (now I will sound like a broken record) in not too long we will have access to the Rowperfect from Australia with a tiny footprint simple the best solution for indoor rowing, stay tuned.

As to why you are rowing:
Look it is simple. Rowing is gentle on the body and therefore make sure that you don't do any jerky movements when practicing. It is a full body workout and you can chose when to accelerate and perspire harder or just stay on the paddle. There are indoor competitions which you can follow or compete in. Last but not least mention rowing to individuals who are getting ready or are recovering from joint replacement surgery. Rowing could just be the best exercise they need for the rest of their lives.

Who should row? Mark Cuban once he is done with Dancing with the Stars. Mark had a hip replacement. As I watch the episodes I saw him in quite some pain at times. This made me worry. There is a guy who will plow through a brick wall if his body lets him, but... He can row all he wants and however hard he wants and his joints will not get a beating like dancing on a hard floor.

I wish you all the best and remember I am here to promote global health through rowing whether you buy the future ROWPERFECT or not.

Take care,

XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

No workouts on October 22 because of fires.

Because of the fires and the bad air there will be no workouts in the morning of October 22, 2007.

XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Here is some great information on technique from youtube!

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Here is some great information on technique from youtube!

Rant and Rave about coaching methods

I am amazed how few coaches use lactate testing to train their endurance athletes. It actually makes me mad. Coaches are supposed to learn and improve their coaching techniques to help improve the ability of their athletes. I see too many athletes getting hurt from over training and training intensities that are too elevated too often. You might wonder what “Secret” I know that a majority of coaches don’t. It is no secret at all. There is a book written by different international coaches who explain the best way to improve athletes abilities. The book is called ROWING FASTER and should be mandatory reading for coaches who want to pass the USROWING coaching levels. It is outdated to believe that “MORE PAIN, MORE GAIN” is true, IT IS WRONG, w-r-o-n-g!!!! It makes me especially sad for rowers who put heart and soul into their training and follow blindly coaches who think that hard workouts make people faster. Junior coaches wrongly believe they are doing the right thing because their rowers get stronger. It is a FALSE POSITIVE, the junior rowers are growing and get stronger naturally and not because of a string of grueling workouts. In reality they could improve much faster, by following their target heart rate below the aerobic threshold. To figure that cardiac level out all a coach needs to do is purchase a lactate testing device and make his rowers row at stroke rate 20-22 for LONGER periods of time. If you want more detail on how to train you can subscribe to my monthly training program. If you are a coach and you wonder what to do, go buy the book ROWING FASTER, by Volker Nolte, pick up a copy on AMAZON.com. This is it for now.
XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.